Best star style

[WOWspaceISbig]

I like to make Celestia look as accurate as possible, but I can never decide which star style makes it look most accurate. I figure it's "scaled discs", but they look way too bright, it's definitely not "points" because they look way too dim, and "fuzzy points" seems like I'm viewing them from Earth because they're fuzzy points, hence the name. Are any of the three accurate or should I use an addon (and if so, can I get a link?)?

[Matt McIrvin]

I like to make Celestia look as accurate as possible, but I can never decide which star style makes it look most accurate. I figure it's "scaled discs", but they look way too bright, it's definitely not "points" because they look way too dim, and "fuzzy points" seems like I'm viewing them from Earth because they're fuzzy points, hence the name. Are any of the three accurate or should I use an addon (and if so, can I get a link?)?

The fundamental problem is that a computer monitor is incapable of mimicking the vast range of brightnesses of objects in the actual sky. So the best we can do is offer a variety of representations that make sense in different contexts.

To my eyes, the scaled-disc mode does the best job of suggesting the true range of brightness variation without leaving out too many stars (that's why it is used in star charts) but at the same time it is obviously schematic; stars do not actually look like circles, they look like points. The fuzzy-point mode is a compromise.

[WOWspaceISbig]

Thanks . I'll go with the fuzzy points then.

[WOWspaceISbig]

While I'm on the subject of accuracy of stars, does anybody know where I can get a good star texture and flare without having to download an entire tour?

[julesstoop]

I prefer normal points. To me they feel the closest to 'real'

[Tleilax]

I prefer the points as well, and I have my magnitude set at like 12 or 13 so there's hundreds of points everywhere you look. To me, it feels the most real, especialy when you just fly around the galaxy. LOL.